The Swan Inn set to welcome customers back as popular pub reopens

Iconic city centre pub The Swan Inn is set to reopen its doors at noon tomorrow after being bought by well-known Liverpool hospitality couple Fiona and Dominic Hornsby.

The pair, who already own The Bridewell, The Pen Factory and The Denbigh Castle, have spent a week turning things around after getting the keys last Friday. Now, after a refresh and a few minor changes, they say the focus is on getting to know the regulars
of the famous Wood Street drinking hole and what they want before making any major new moves.

Fiona says:

“It’s one of the last rock pubs in the city, and we want to keep its heritage and add a little bit more fun,”

Changes that have already been made include new opening hours, starting earlier at 12 noon and closing, initially at least, at midnight. Three new draught German beers are being brought in and Fiona and Dominic are introducing more craft beers, while keeping the Erdinger and Guinness already served.

Fiona explains:

“It’s a very different pub. It’s one of those famous city pubs that everyone knows, even if they haven’t been in it. It’s got its famous jukebox and it’s renowned for being one of the only goth, metal and rock pubs in Liverpool city centre.

“We want to tidy it up a bit – much of the redecorating as we go along – and maintain all of its values while looking to see what we can offer just to make it that little bit better.”

One of Liverpool’s oldest pubs, it’s stood since Victorian Times, opening in 1898. The Swan Inn has been a go-to alternative ale house for around four decades; once a starting point for drinkers going to Sloanes and Wilson, and later The Krazyhouse. Bikers made it a frequent haunt in the 70s and 80s, and in the mid-00s, it was renowned for its rock karaoke competitions.

“The Swan has a comedy night now on a Thursday, it has an LGBTQ+ meeting, and it used to have a popular quiz night run by Jeanette, someone who’s worked there since the 70s, and we’re hoping to persuade her to bring that back. “We’d like to get acoustic music in there,”

Fiona adds:

“But it’s more about learning what the customers want.

“It’s not changed for a long time and we’re not saying much needs changing, but you have the main bar as you go in and another bar on the second floor, and there’s a mezzanine level where it would be nice for groups to meet. The Denbigh Castle has the spoken word night and union meetings, the Bridewell has folk music, and The Pen Factory has jazz and a chess club. People love that community and hopefully this is what we can share with people who go to The Swan.

“When the pub went up for sale we’d not long had The Pen Factory and we tentatively went to have a look and thought, yes, we can do something with this. All our pubs are very different, and that’s what we like and what makes it so exciting for us. Not everyone will like every pub you’ve got, but they might like one of them. It’s all the things that go on that are different we need to shout about.

“Liverpool is a big city and there’s lots to offer, and we want to run with that.”

Keep updated with The Swan Inn on Instagram here.

Find more great places to drink in Liverpool here.

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